The Art Institute of Indianapolis
Rachel Leigh
Designers Statement
I chose to illustrate the concept using water as a symbol of life. When we approach those things that are our life source – water, food, clothing, shelter, and the rest, we have the option of meeting our physical needs in artistic ways that nourish our souls as well.
This is privilege that I especially value. I love the way that graphic design elevates our everyday, information-based lives by appealing to a deeper part of us, the part that is aesthetically stimulated.
This image was created with an understanding that the inverse is equally true: “Art is better with Life in it.” If the bucket is a representation of all artistic expression, then how much more appealing is it because it contains water, vital to sustaining human life?
This can be understood from a completely practical standpoint. The applied arts, of all the arts, could be said to contain the most life. As a commercial art, graphic design helps the economy; a good design may lead to a better-selling product. It is a means by which the need for beauty becomes a dependable way to make a living. That is truly refreshing.
Local First Place Winners 2008